Receptacle with spring hinge closure

ABSTRACT

This receptacle for diapers, garbage or other contents has an inlet opening with a closure that is urged toward closed position by hinge means consisting of a resilient element that is flexed to an arc of substantial extent. One end of the resilient element is connected to the closure and the other end to the receptacle beyond the flexed portion. By molding the hinge means in substantial alignment with the closure, and then connecting it with a wall of the receptacle at a substantial angle to the plane of the opening, the hinge means provides a plastic leaf spring that urges the closure into closed position. The closure moves downward to open, and the leaf spring holds the closure against a lip of the opening to seal the receptacle against the escape of odors.

UiliiQd Sites atent 1 [111 3,749,274

Mele et al. July 31, 1973 RECEPTACLE WITH SPRING HINGE I CLOSURE PrimaryExaminer-George E. Lowrance Assistant Examiner-Alan Eskines [75]Inventors: Sidney C. Male, Mountainside; Earl I Hoyt, westwood both ofNJ. Attorney-Nichol M. Sandoe, Charles W. Neill, etlal.

[73] Assignee: Blessings, lnc., Bound Brook, NJ.

Filed: Aug. 16, 57 ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 171,968

This receptacle for diapers, garbage or other contents has an inletopening with a closure that is urged toward [52] 34 3 closed position byhinge means consisting of a resilient 51 I t C l I 8 1 6 element that isflexed to an arc of substantial extent. E g 31 R 8 One end of theresilient element is connected to the closure and the other end to thereceptacle beyond the flexed portion. By molding the hinge means insubstantial alignment with the closure, and then connecting it 220/35, 1T, 87; BIZ/31.1

[56] References cites with a wall of the receptacle at a substantialangle to UNITED STATES PATENTS the plane of the opening, the hinge meansprovides a 3,095,995 7/1963 Foster 220/31 S plastic leaf spring thaturges the closure into closed po- 220/31 3 sition. The closure movesdownward to open, and the leaf spring holds the closure against a lip ofthe opening a erman 2,800,244 7/1957 Witt 220/35 to seal the receptacleagamst the escape of odors FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS 14 Claims 5Drawing Figures 333,896 8/1930 2 Great Britain 220/87 PAIENIH JUUHQIS 3749,274

INVENTORS ATTORNEYS.

1 RECEPTACLE WITH SPRING HINGE CLOSURE SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention includes a receptacle with an opening throughits upper portion and in the illustrated construction the receptaclehasa cover and the opening is through the cover and more particularlythrough a portion of the cover that has a substantial downwardinclination toward the free edge of a closure which is connected to thereceptacle by hinge means at an opposite edge. The hinge means comprisesa plastic leaf spring which is originally connected with the closure soas to be in substantial alignment with the closure. When the other endof the leaf spring is connected to the receptacle in a directionextending at an angle to the plane of the opening, the plastic is flexedin such a direction as to cause it to urge the closure into closedposition.

In the preferred construction, the hinge means is molded as a one-piececonstruction with the closure; and the closure is somewhat larger thanthe opening so that it extends beyond the peripheral edges of theopening and contacts with the peripheral edges to form an odor-proofseal around the edges of the closure.

The closure moves downward as it moves into open position and the leafspring exerts an upward pressure for holding the closure against theunderside of the peripheral edges of the opening. The construction has aspring strength which is correlated with the weight of the closure andthe weight of a wet diaper, when used as a diaper receptacle, so thatplacing a wet diaper on top of the closure causes the closure to openfar enough for the diaper to slide off into the receptacle so that theclosure can again move upward into closed position. As compared withother diaper receptacles which have lids which open upward, thisinvention has the important advantage that it is a one hand operationreceptacle and can be used when a woman has only one hand free becauseshe carrying a baby with the other arm.

The invention has the further advantage that it obtains pressure of theclosure against the edges of the opening to obtain a seal withoutsubstantial weight and it eliminates metal parts which often corrodebecause of fumes from within the receptacle The closure provides anodor-tight self-closing door.

Another feature relates to a construction within the receptacle whichprovides a compartment for a deodorant and in the illustratedconstruction there is an extension of the plastic spring which extendsunder the deodorant compartment to provide a movable wall which permitsthe insertion of additional deodorant into the compartment whennecessary.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear orbe pointed out as the description proceeds. I

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING In the drawing, forming a part hereof, inwhich like reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all theviews:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view through a'receptacle having a closure andhinge means made inaccordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary bottom plan view, partly broken away and insection, of the left hand portion of the receptacle shown in FIG. I;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the closure hinge means and an extensionof the hinge means of FIG. I, but showing the way in which all oftheseparts are originally molded in one piece with the leaf spring inline with the closure before being attached to the receptacle and beforebeing flexed;

FIG. 4. is a top plan view of tee clsure,leaf spring and extension shownin FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing the fastening meansillustrated in FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows a receptacle whichincludes a container 12 having a lid 14 which fits over the upper edgeof the container 12. A shoulder 16 limits the extent to which the lid 14can move downward on the container 12. In the construction illustratedthe lid 14 which comprises the upper portion of the receptacle, is madeof plastic; and it has a side wall 18 that extends upwardly from theshoulder 16 and that converges as it extends upward.

At the upper end of the side wall 18, there is a top wall 20. This topwall 20 preferably has a substantial downward slope toward the right, asshown in FIG. I. There is an opening 22 in the top wall 20 and thisopening lies in a plane sloping at a substantial incline similar to partof the top wall 20.

The peripheral edge portion 24 around the opening 22 extends upwardlyand then downwardly to form a lip 26 which is the edge of the opening22.

An inside wall 30 extends downward from the top wall 20 near the lefthand side of the receptacle in FIG. 1. There are two partition walls 32,best shown in FIG. 2, extending from the wall 30 to the side 18 of thereceptacle; and the walls 30 and 32, together with the portion of theside wall 18 which extends between the walls 30, form a compartment forholding deodorant. This deodorant is preferably in the form of cakeswhich evaporate slowly.

The walls 32 have slots 34 providing ventilation through the walls 32 sothat deodorant vapor from the chamber can circulate into other parts ofthe receptacle.

The opening 22 is closed by a closure 38 comprising an element having agreater horizontal projected area than that of the opening 22 and havingits peripheral edge portions extending beyong the lip 26 around theentire peripheral extent of the lip 26. In the illustrated construction,the closure 38 is made of plastic and has a recess 40 in its top surfaceand into which the lip 26 extends around its entire periphery to providea more effective seal for the receptacle.

The lip 26 or the closure 38, and preferably both, at made of plasticmaterial which is soft enough to provide an effective odor seal for thereceptacle when the closure 38 is pressed upward against the lip 26in amanner which will be described.

The recess 40 shown in the drawing is of substantially semi-circularcross section, but it will be understood that other cross sections canbe used for the recess. The closure 38 and the recess 40 are held inshape and increased somewhat in stiffness by a ridge 42 which ispreferably of one-piece construction with the closure 38 and whichextends downward from the other side of the recess 40 around the entireperiphery of the closure 38. This ridge is preferably continuous aroundits entire extent and thus provides a closed ridge imparting a uniformrecnforcement to the closure 38.

When the closure 38 is originally molded, it is made with a hinge means46 extending from the left hand side of the closure 38 and insubstantial alignment with the closure 38. In the constructionillustrated, this alignment of the hinge means 46 is a parallelism withthe main surface of the closure 38, but it can be at the same level ifthe construction of the peripheral edge portion 24 and lip 26 does notrequire any offset of the hinge means from the closure when assembledwith the receptacle as shown in FIG. 1.

The hinge means 46 is a plastic panel, preferably of the same materialand same thickness as the closure 38 and it comprises a plastic leafspring.

To obtain this spring action, the hinge means 46 is made of resilientplastic material; and polypropylene or polyethylene can be used as theplastic if compounded to provide the necessary resilience, the extent ofwhich will be explained hereinafter.

Fastening means 48 are provided for connecting the hinge means 46 to thewall 30 (FIG. 1) and these fastening means 48 include pairs ofprojections 50 which extend outwardly from the hlnge means 46 andthrough openings 52 in the wall 30. The projections 50 have hooks 54which snap behind the edge portions of the openings 52 to lock the hingemeans 42 to the wall 30 in the manner shown in FIG. 5. The projections50 are sufficiently resilient to bend toward one another as necessary topermit the books 54 to pass through the openings 52 and this resiliencecauses the projections to spring apart as soon as the hooks have passedthrough the openings 52 so that the hooks engage behind the edges of theopening.

In the construction illustrated there are four pairs of projections 50across the width of the hinge means 46, as shown in FIG. 4. Thesefastening means not only hold the hinge means 46 against the confrontingface of the wall 30, but they also prevent any lateral movement of thehinge means 46 with respect to the wall 30.

The fastening means 48 are located some distance above the lower end ofthe wall 30 so that a substantial part of the hinge means 46 below theprojections of the hinge means is clamped against the confronting faceof the wall 30.

Above the fastening means 48, the hinge means 46 are flexed around anarc of somewhat more than 90. If the closure 38 did not have thedownward inclination toward the right, but was substantially horizontal,then the flexure of the hinge means 46 would be approximately 90. Itwill be evident from FIG. 1 that the hinge means 46, between thefastening means 48 and the conncction of the hinge means 46 to theclosure 38 provides a plastic leaf spring that holds the closure 38closed against the bottom of the opening 22.

For most convenient operation of this invention, the thickness of theplastic leaf spring provided by the hinge means 46 and the degree ofresilience of the material of this plastic leaf spring should be chosenso that when the receptacle is to be used for diapers, a wet diaperdropped on the closure 38 will deflect the hinge means sufficiently toopen the closure downward and swing the closure about the flexed leafspring to a downwardly extending inclination that will cause the diaperto slide off the closure and drop into the lower part of the receptacle.With such operation, the receptacle of this invention can be usedwithout touching it.

Even if the spring means 46 is too stiff to permit the closure 38 toopen wide enough for a diaper to slide through as a result of the weightof a diaper on the top sufface of the closure 38, the fact that theclosure 38 closes upward makes the invention operable with one hand. Forexample, if a woman is carrying a baby on one arm, she can press adiaper against the top surface of the closure 38 and force the closureto open wide enough to admit the diaper, and this is a one-handoperation. With diaper receptacles of the prior art, where a lid had tobe raised in order to provide an opening through which the diaper couldbe inserted, it was difficult to insert the diaper with one hand becausethe lid could not be conveniently opened with the same hand that washolding the diaper and very often it was impossible to use the diaperreceptacle while holding a baby with the other arm.

Although the invention as described herein is used as a diaperreceptacle, it will be understood that the same advantages are obtainedwhen using it for garbage disposal or for soiled clothes which may bedry, one hand operation is almost always more convenient than requiringboth hands and much simpler than those receptacles provided with pedalsso that use for receptacles requires one hand and one foot.

When the closure 38 and the hinge means 46 are molded, as shown in FIG.3, there is preferably an extension connected to the hinge means 46. Theextension 60 is molded to extend substantially at right angles to thehinge means 46 when the part is originally molded to the shape shown inFIGS. 3 and 4. Like the hinge means 46, the extension 60 is preferablyof the same material as the closure 38 and is molded as one piecetherewith. The extension 60 forms a bottom wall for the deodorantchamberenclosed by the walls 30, 32 and 18; and the extension 60preferably has slots 64 therein providing ventilation through the bottomwall of the deodorant compartment, these slots being best shown in FIG.2.

In the construction illustrated, the plastic material is made somewahtthinner along a line 66 to provide a resilient portion ofthe plastic atthe junction of the hinge means 46 and extension 60. Because of thegreater flexibility along the line 66, the extension 60 can be hingeddownward along the line 66 to open sufficient clearance between theextension 60 and the bottom edges of the walls 32 to permit insertion ofreplacement cakes of deodorant material into the deodorant holdingchamber. The plastic is stiff enough at the hinge line 66 to cause theextension 60 to spring back into the posi tion shown in FIG. 1 whendeflecting pressure is re leased and is stiff enough to support theweight of the blocks or cakes of deodorant which are enclosed in thedeodorant chamber.

With the parts assembled as-shown in FIG., 1, the closure 38 swingsdownward about the flexed plastic leaf spring 46 but not around anyfixed axis as in the case of a usual hinge. Although the actual axisabout which the closure 38 is moving at any particular instant duringits opening and closing movement is not fixed and varies with thechanges in the bending of the hinge means 46, this instantaneous axis oforbital movement of the closure 38 is always parallel to the bottom edgeof the hinge means 46.

The preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, but changes and modifications can be made and some featurescan be used in dif fcrent combinations without departing from theinvention as defined in the claims.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination with a receptacle having an inlet opening through anupper part thereof, a closure for said opening, and resilient plastichinge means connected at one end with the closure and at the other endwith a part of the receptacle, the hinge means being a resilient elementflexed to an arc of substantial extent between its connections with theclosure and the part of the receptacle to stress the hinge means in adirection to urge the closure toward closed position with respect tosaid opening, the receptacle having a wall extending at a substantialangle to the plane of the opening, the hinge means extending parallel tosaid plane of the opening at the end which is connected with the closureand the other end of the hinge means extending parallel to said wall andbeing connected to said wall, the hinge means being bent in an arebetween its ends as a result of the angularity of the wall to the planeof the opening that is closed by said closure.

2. The combination described in claim 1 characterized by the stressedpart of the hinge means being of one-piece construction with theclosure, and being in substantial alignment with the closure whenunstressed.

3. The combination described in claim 1 characterized by the closure andthe hinge means being in line with one another before applying them tothe receptacle, and fastening means connecting the hinge means to thewall and holding the hinge means against lateral displacement on thewall.

4. The combination described in claim 3 characterized by the wall andhinge means having confronting faces where they are connected, thefastening means being latches extending from one of said confrontingfaces and extending into openings in the other of said confronting facesand latching behind edges of said openings.

5. The combination described in claim 1 characterized by the receptaclehaving a wall to which one end of the hinge means is connected, thehinge means being a plastic molding with resilient hooks projecting froma side of the hinge means that confronts the wall, and the wall havingopenings therein in position to receive the hooks and having edgesbehind which the hooks engage to secure the hinge means to the wall whenthe cover and receptacle are in assembled position.

6. The combination described in claim 1 characterized by the closure andhinge means being constructed of plastic material and at least the hingemeans being made of resilient plastic and constituting a plastic leafspring urging the closure into closed position.

7. The combination described in claim 6 characterized by the closurebeing located below the opening which it closes, and the plastic leafspring urging the closure upward toward closed position, the flexedportion of the plastic spring being beyond the horizontal limits of theopening so that as the closure moves into open position it swingsdownward about the bent region of the leaf spring though not about anyfixed axis.

8. The combination described in claim 7 characterized by the leaf springhaving sufficient flexure for movement of the closure into an openposition sloping downward at a steep angle away from the side of theclosure that is connected to the hinge means, when a wet diaper isdropped on the closure, and into an open position in which the diaperslides off the closure into the portion of the receptacle below theclosure.

9. The combination described in claim 1 characterized by the receptacleincluding a container cover, with the opening in the cover and of lesshorizontal projected area than the cover, and a chamber on the inside ofthe cover for holding a deodorant, the chamber having a wall, and thehinge means being secured to said wall as the connection of the hingemeans to the receptacle, and the hinge means having an extension thatprojects across and closes one side of the chamber.

10. The combination described in claim 9 characterized by the chamberhaving openings in a side wall thereof for ventilation and circulationof deodorant vapor from the chamber, the extension of the hinge meansbeing resilient and movable into position to provide clearance for theinsertion of replacement deodorant into the chamber.

11. The combination described in claim 9 characterized by the extensionof the hinge means being of onepiece construction with the rest of thehinge means and having a thinner portion where it joins the part of thehinge means that is connected to the receptacle, said thinner portionproviding a resilient region at which the extension can be flexed toswing into a partially open position for insertion of replacementdeodorant into the chamber.

12. The combination with a receptacle having an inlet opening through anupper part thereof, a closure for said opening, located on the undersideof the opening, the opening in the receptacle having a downwardly facingedge portion around the periphery thereof, and the closure being oflarger area than the opening and having an edge portion extending on allsides beyond the opening and having a surface that contacts with theedge portion of the opening around said periphery when the closure is inclosed position, and resilient plastic hinge means connected at one endwith the closure and at the other end with a part of the receptaclelocated at a substantial distance back from said inlet opening, thehinge means being a resilient element flexed to an arc of substantialextent between its connections with the closure and the part of thereceptacle to stress the hinge means, when the closure is in both openand closed positions, in a direction to urge the closure toward closedposition with respect to said opening.

13. The combination described in claim 12 characterized by at least oneof the contacting edges of the closure and opening being a lip and beingplastic and soft enough to provide a seal to prevent odors in thereceptacle from circulating into the ambient atmosphere above theopening.

14. The combination described in claim'l3 characterized by the openingbeing in a top surface of the receptacle that slopes downward at asubstantial incline from the side of the closure that is connected withthe hinge means, both the edge portion around the opening and the edgeportion of the closure being made of plastic and one of said edgeportions being the lip and the other recessed to receive said lip toprovide a more effective seal.

i 4 1K 4' i

1. The combination with a receptacle having an inlet opening through anupper part thereof, a closure for said opening, and resilient plastichinge means connected at one end with the closure and at the other endwith a part of the receptacle, the hinge means being a resilient elementflexed to an arc of substantial extent between its connections with theclosure and the part of the receptacle to stress the hinge means in adirection to urge the closure toward closed position with respect tosaid opening, the receptacle having a wall extending at a substantialangle to the plane of the opening, the hinge means extending parallel tosaid plane of the opening at the end which is connected with the closureand the other end of the hinge means extending parallel to said wall andbeing connected to said wall, the hinge means being bent in an arcbetween its ends as a result of the angularity of the wall to the planeof the opening that is closed by said closure.
 2. The combinationdescribed in claim 1 characterized by the stresSed part of the hingemeans being of one-piece construction with the closure, and being insubstantial alignment with the closure when unstressed.
 3. Thecombination described in claim 1 characterized by the closure and thehinge means being in line with one another before applying them to thereceptacle, and fastening means connecting the hinge means to the walland holding the hinge means against lateral displacement on the wall. 4.The combination described in claim 3 characterized by the wall and hingemeans having confronting faces where they are connected, the fasteningmeans being latches extending from one of said confronting faces andextending into openings in the other of said confronting faces andlatching behind edges of said openings.
 5. The combination described inclaim 1 characterized by the receptacle having a wall to which one endof the hinge means is connected, the hinge means being a plastic moldingwith resilient hooks projecting from a side of the hinge means thatconfronts the wall, and the wall having openings therein in position toreceive the hooks and having edges behind which the hooks engage tosecure the hinge means to the wall when the cover and receptacle are inassembled position.
 6. The combination described in claim 1characterized by the closure and hinge means being constructed ofplastic material and at least the hinge means being made of resilientplastic and constituting a plastic leaf spring urging the closure intoclosed position.
 7. The combination described in claim 6 characterizedby the closure being located below the opening which it closes, and theplastic leaf spring urging the closure upward toward closed position,the flexed portion of the plastic spring being beyond the horizontallimits of the opening so that as the closure moves into open position itswings downward about the bent region of the leaf spring though notabout any fixed axis.
 8. The combination described in claim 7characterized by the leaf spring having sufficient flexure for movementof the closure into an open position sloping downward at a steep angleaway from the side of the closure that is connected to the hinge means,when a wet diaper is dropped on the closure, and into an open positionin which the diaper slides off the closure into the portion of thereceptacle below the closure.
 9. The combination described in claim 1characterized by the receptacle including a container cover, with theopening in the cover and of less horizontal projected area than thecover, and a chamber on the inside of the cover for holding a deodorant,the chamber having a wall, and the hinge means being secured to saidwall as the connection of the hinge means to the receptacle, and thehinge means having an extension that projects across and closes one sideof the chamber.
 10. The combination described in claim 9 characterizedby the chamber having openings in a side wall thereof for ventilationand circulation of deodorant vapor from the chamber, the extension ofthe hinge means being resilient and movable into position to provideclearance for the insertion of replacement deodorant into the chamber.11. The combination described in claim 9 characterized by the extensionof the hinge means being of one-piece construction with the rest of thehinge means and having a thinner portion where it joins the part of thehinge means that is connected to the receptacle, said thinner portionproviding a resilient region at which the extension can be flexed toswing into a partially open position for insertion of replacementdeodorant into the chamber.
 12. The combination with a receptacle havingan inlet opening through an upper part thereof, a closure for saidopening, located on the underside of the opening, the opening in thereceptacle having a downwardly facing edge portion around the peripherythereof, and the closure being of larger area than the opening andhaving an edge portion extending on all sides beyond the opening andhaving a suRface that contacts with the edge portion of the openingaround said periphery when the closure is in closed position, andresilient plastic hinge means connected at one end with the closure andat the other end with a part of the receptacle located at a substantialdistance back from said inlet opening, the hinge means being a resilientelement flexed to an arc of substantial extent between its connectionswith the closure and the part of the receptacle to stress the hingemeans, when the closure is in both open and closed positions, in adirection to urge the closure toward closed position with respect tosaid opening.
 13. The combination described in claim 12 characterized byat least one of the contacting edges of the closure and opening being alip and being plastic and soft enough to provide a seal to prevent odorsin the receptacle from circulating into the ambient atmosphere above theopening.
 14. The combination described in claim 13 characterized by theopening being in a top surface of the receptacle that slopes downward ata substantial incline from the side of the closure that is connectedwith the hinge means, both the edge portion around the opening and theedge portion of the closure being made of plastic and one of said edgeportions being the lip and the other recessed to receive said lip toprovide a more effective seal.